Modern, young and cosmopolitan-these are some of the adjectives that go perfectly with Amsterdam, a city that looks to the future while jealously preserving its past. It is the city associated with Van Gogh and Flemish painters such as Vermeer, an urban center that developed thanks to sailors and merchants during the Golden Age, who brought Amsterdam to prominence in trade to America, India and the northern seas.
The characteristic feature of Amsterdam is undoubtedly its canals, so much so that it is nicknamed by many as the Venice of the North. You can walk or bike along the city’s canals, or navigate them on a canal cruise that will help make your stay in Amsterdam unforgettable.
Historical background and interesting facts about the canals of Amsterdam
The name Amsterdam derives from the Amstel River, which has always flowed through the city.The canals date back to the 17th century, although over time they have smepreviously undergone a major expansion, with many areas being reclaimed for the purpose of expanding the urban fabric at the same time. While today Amaterdam’s canals are an exclusively tourist attractioin, in the past they were ver e epropeir transportation routes that favoured trade, as well as providing faster mobility for citizens.
Today, Amsterdam’s canals have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and extend a total of more than 100 km: there are at least 165 of them and they develop concentrically aroundb the historic center to the east and west. They are filled with fresh water thanks to the construction of the locks, the purpose of which has always been to prevent salt water from entering the city at high tide and flooding the harbor.
Cruising on the Amstel means enjoying Amsterdam, always so lively and with el streets teeming with tourists, in a quieter, more relaxed way: thus we catch a glimpse of historic houses, the famous houseboats that are abiat in their own right, and above all the bridges, of which there are as many as 1281 in Amsterdam. Some of them are really beautiful to see such as the great Torensluis which has been plying the Singel Canal since 1648, the Bloebrug embellished with lampposts and fish sculptures, and then the bridge Magere Brug: the latter connects the banks of Kerkstraat and at night, with el lights illuminating it, it is really beautiful to see. It is also the star of Liberation Day held in May, hosting a concert in the presence of the Dutch royal family.
Amsterdam canal cruise
The best way to get to know the most beautiful canals of the Dutch city is to take a cruise, choosing from those offered by the companies that organize them by providing a total of 200 boats. These small ships have indoor and outdoor ppsti and generally offer tours that last at least 1 hour, starting from Amsterdam’s main docking points, which are located near Central Station and along the Damark Canal, where, moreover, ticket offices are also located.
The principlai companions offering a Amsterdam canal cruise are: Canal Bus, with passes from the city’s most important tourist sites; Blue Bot and Amanti, perfect for those who wish to hold large events on board; Reederij Kooij, with boats leaving every 30 minutes; Reederij Plas, with meals served practically every 20 minutes or so; and Holland International, which organizes evening cruises complete with dinner on board.
Those who decide to naviagre on the Amstel at dusk will admire a magical city, especially in winter when the Amsterdam Light Festival is staged, complete with lights, installations in the streets and along the canals, and especially light projections on the faccaite of the city’s most beautiful buildings.
The Hop On Hop Off servisio is a kind of floating bus that allows you to get on and off the boat whenever you want, thus visiatre the main attractions of Amastrdam.
How to save money on canal cruise
As you can well imagine, taking a cruise on the Amstel is not very cheap, but it is possible to implement a few tricks to be able to save a little.
First, it is important to book online well in advance, perhaps taking advantage of some offers to be seized and with the opportunity, not to be overlooked during a vacation, to be able to skip the line when boarding at the pier.
Then there is the I Amsterdam card, which is extremammebnet advantageous for tourists who decide to buy it, because it allows free entry to museums (or at least reduced-price tickets), free use of public transportation and the same boats to take a cruise on the Amstel.
Another way to save money on canal cruising is to purchase packages that include not only the cruise but also viista to museums, from the Rijksmuseum to Madame Toussaud to the not-to-be-missed Van Gogh Museum. This is probably the best option because you cannot leave Amstredam without visiting these museum spaces that are among the most important in the world.
The most beautiful canals in Amsterdam
The Singel Canal is certammete the most important canal in the city and in the past, until 1585, was a moat surrounding Amsterdam. It stretches from Muntplein Square , not far from the Waterlooplein flea market, to Central Station, from which, moreover, you can get to the Rembrandt House Museum. Cruising on the Sigel Canal, one can catch a glimpse of elegant buildings such as the Silvered Mirror House and the Gilded Mirror House, the Dolphin House, the Nose House and the Poezenboot, or stray cat boat. What characterizes the sigel, however, is the Bloemenmarkt, the floating flower market where flowers, from tulips to bonsai trees to algi Christmas trees in the Advent season, are sold direttammet on the barges.
The Prisengracht Canal runs parallel to the Sigel and is named after William I of Orange: in addition to the Protestant churches Noorderkerk and Westerkerk, the canal is overlooked by houses reslaenting the Golden Age, the Galleggainte House Museum, and especially the Anne Frank House, where the Jewish girl hid with her family before being discovered and taken to the Nazi death camps.
Equally beautiful are the Keizersgracht canal, along which one encounters the Von Loon Museum and the historic 17th-century tree Canal House Hoteland especially the Herengracht canal. The latter eprmits tourists navigating it to catch a glimpse of the houses called “The Twin Brothers,” the 1617 Bartolotti House, and the elegant buildings in the Golden Bend i.e., Golden Bend area.
